Electric switch



APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7. 1914.

E. G. K. ANDERSON.

meme SWITCH.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

2 SHEEN-SHEET I law/(5565;

Tue COLUMBIA 'LANOURAPH co., WAlIflNflNlh D. c.

E. G. K. ANDERSON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED 1mm. m4.

1,312,380. Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST G. K. ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters IPatent.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNST G. K. Anoma- SON, a citizen of the United States, reslding at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to mechanical cutouts for electric circuits, and has for one of its objects an improved construction of snap switches both for wall and pendant switches.

For the purpose of disclosing my invention I have illustrated certain embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a wall switch embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a dlsassooiated perspective view of the movable switch blade and its operating parts;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a pendant switch embodying my invention, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top lan view with the inclosing; casing or shel removed;

ig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 77 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the pushbutton bar.

In the structure disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, I provide a suitable casin 10, which may be of insulating or other suitable material as desired, which casing is adapted to fit within the wall and is rovided at its front with a flange 1 1 to which is attached the front cover plate 12. Mounted within this casing is a pair of s ring contacts 13 and 14, each provided with a. suitable binding screw 15 by which the leading-in wires may be connected to the contacts. The circuit is closed between these sprin contact fingers by a switch blade 16, which 1s adapted to be snapped between the fin rs and engage each of the same to there y close the circuit. The rear end of this switch blade is pivoted upon a post 17 and is provided with a rearwardly extending projection 18. Also mounted on the post 17 is a rocking frame 19 provided with a pair of downwardly extending lugs 20 between which the rear projection 18 is adapted to pass. The lugs 20 are spaced apart a suflicient distance to permit of some lost motion of the frame 19 with respect to the rearwardly extending projection 18 as clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The rocking frame is rovided with a pair of laterally extending arms 21, having slots 22 formed therein in which are fastened the pins of the pushbuttons 23 and 24. The blade 16 is provided at its front end with a cylindrical casin 25 in which is adapted to be fitted a coiled spring 26. The opposite end of this coiled spring fits within and bears upon a. hollow plunger 27, the closed end of which is coneshaped and has adapted to bear thereon one end of a pin 29. The opposite end of this pin is pivotally secured, [as at 30, in an u turned lug 31 on the locking frame. T e lug 31 is ofl' center from the pivot 17 so that when this lug is moved to a position to aline the pin with the pivot point the spring 26 will be compressed, and after the switch blade has been moved past the point or center the expansion of the spring will cause the blade to snap in one direction or the other.

In operation, assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1 with the circuit closed, when pressure is applied to the but ton 24 the rocking frame 19 is rocked to move the lugs 20 and the lug 31 downwardly. As the lug 31 moves downwardly carrying with it the pivoted end of the pin 29 the pin 29 will compress the spring 26 and will also exert a force on the spring. \It will have a component tending to move the spring upwardly due to the angle which the in 29 assumes with respect to the switch l ade. As the downward movement of the lug 31 continues the com ression of the spring increases and also the upward component of the force increases until suflicient force is exerted to overcome the initial friction between the switch blade 16 and the contacts 13 and 14. As soon as this initial fri ti n is o ercome the blade 16 will snap upwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. It will be noted, iowever, that the movement of the switch latte 16 does not depend entirely upon the coi ed spring 26, but in case the force exerted b the pin 29 is not suflicient to overcome tie initial friction betweenv the blade 16 and the contacts 13 and 14 this blade will be positively moved by the engagement of the lugs 20 Wit 1 the projection 18, the coiled spring 26 being depended upon only for the purpose of pro ducing a snap action of the blade.

In the structure illustrated in Figs. 4 to 8 I have shown a modification of my snap switch adapted particularly for endant switches. In this structure have illustrated the pendant switch as comprising a cyindrical insulating casing which is surrounded by an inclosing metallic casing 33. The spring contact lingers 34 are mounted in the upper end of the casing 32 and are provided with suitable binding posts 35, to which the leading-in wires ma be connected. Circuit is closed between t e contact fingers by means of the movable switch blade 16, which in this structure is pivoted upon a cross pin 36 secured in the insulating casing 32. This switch blade is of substantially the same construction as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, except that the rearward extension 18 is provided with an upturned lug 37 adapted to pass between the two lugs 38 on the pushbutton bar 39. The pin or arm 29 at its rear end is ivotally connected, as at 40, with the pus i-button arm 39. The opera tion of this Structure is substantially the same as that illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. \Vith the parts in the position illustrated, when one end of the push-button arm is pressed the pin 29 will be brought into alinement with the pivot point of the blade and the spring 27 compressed. After the push-button bar has been moved sufiiciently far for the arm 29 to have passed its dead center, then the snap action will occur, due to the expansion of the spring 27. In this modif cat on, as the form shown in Fi 1, 2 a d 3, a lost motion connection must e provif ed between the push button and the swi 1 blade. As shown in Fi 4 the lugs 38 are spaced apart sufiicient y to allow the pivotal connection 40 to am the dead center before the lug 38, engages the lug 37 to move the switch blade positively. A co responding movement from the other side of the push button arm 39 will cause the bl dc to move p clpse the circuit.

aving thus ascribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to, secure by Lettars atent i 1,. In an e ectric switch, the combination with a stationary contact, of a pivoted switch blade. cotiperating with said contact, wa ms ea ned b en by said blade an having a definite line of action with respect thereto, a movable operating member, and means for transmitting pressure from said operating member to said spring comprising a member pivoted to said opcratin member at a point movable from one si e to the other of a plane through the axis of the blade and the point of application of pressure to the spring.

2. In an electric switch, the combination with a stationary contact, of a pivoted switch blade cobperating with said contact, yielding means carried bodily by said blade and havin a line of action fixed with BB- spect to said blade, and means for actuating said yielding means comprising an operating member and a pin pivoted thereto and exerting pressure on said yielding means.

In an electric switch, the combination with a stationary contact, of a pivoted switch blade cooperating with said contact, a helical spring carried bodily by said blade and having its axis substantially in a plane through the axis of the blade, and movable means for actuating said spring, said means comprising an operating member, and a pin pivoted thereto and exerting pressure on said spring.

4. In an electric switch, the combination with a stationary contact, of a pivoted switch blade coiiperating with said contact, a helical spring carried bodily by said blade and having a definite line of action with respect to said blade, movable means for actuating said spring, said means comprisin an operating member and a pin pivote thereto, and a lost motion connection between said operating member and said blade.

5. In an electric switch, the combination with a stationary contact, of a pivoted switch blade cooperating with said contact, a spring carried bodily by said blade and having a definite line of action with respect thereto, a movable operating member, and means for transmitting pressure from said operating member to said spring comprising a member pivoted to said operatin member at a point movable from one si, e to the other of a plane through the axis of the blade and the point of application of pres.- sure to the spring, and a lost motion connection between said operating member and blade.

6. An electric switch comprising a base, a fixed contact, a movable contact, a movable operating meher for said movable contact, supported y said base, a spr ng for id movabl c ct mounted o s le about a fixed pivot, and a rigid member plvotally connected to said spring and hav ng a P t o d rec ly n ete to and mo able it a d Qper tm m mbe 7. An electric switch comprising a base, a ix d cont ct, m a e Contact and e movable reciprocating member for said In Witness whereof, I have hereunto submovable contact, sup orbed by said base, a scribed my name in the presence of two spring for said move 1e contact mounted to Witnesses.

swing about a fixed pivot, and a rigid mem- ERNST G. K. ANDERSON. ber pivotaliy connected to said spring and Witnesses: having a portion directly ivoted to and E. R. KING, movable with said reciprocating member. MARGARET THIELEN.

Copies of this pntent may be obtained for five cents each, by midi-calling the Oommlasioner of Tatenta,

Washington, D. 0. 

